Friends

I have a million good friends.

Well, maybe not that many.
But folks who walk tall.
With open minds and gentle hearts.
A faith expansive and humble.
A sense of the common good.
And willing to pay the price for that.

Friends, who love.
Who have at the center of their life.
Something other than themselves.
Who read good books before the Wall Street Journal.
Who listen to good music before the news.

Who keep their souls balanced.
Who enjoy good food.
And lousy jokes.
The demands of the day.
And the poetry of love and trees.

Who smile with ease.
And care a lot.
Who laugh at the absurdity of it all.
Who cry for the suffering of the world.

Willing to take a stand for those who can't.
Who speak truth to power.
Who are not cowed by the rich and the mighty.
Who are tender-hearted.
And pay attention to the children.

You bet.
I've got lots of friends.
And they enrich my life.
Beyond words.

All I can is, "Thank you for being a part of my life."

Friendship

Nothing like a friend.
The kind, I mean,
That embraces the years.

Lots of years, for the long haul.
Stretching back to another world
When we were young.

Enduring.
Some clashes and getting pissed off.
Finding and refining.

After all, we're friends.
Embracing years.
For the long haul.

Friends

I must say ...

Friends ... 

How you bless me ...

In you laughter ...

And with your tears, too.

Life isn't always easy ...

Maybe never easy ...

But you manage to live it well.

Creatively, which amazes.

Honestly, which humbles.

With humor, which entertains.

With courage, which inspires.

Glad to be a part of your life.

I'm better ...

Because of you!

The Past

The Past ...

Is always present.
Always there.
Though perhaps forgotten.

But easily recalled.
Sometimes too easily.
Sometimes wantonly.

Pays to visit the past.
Now and then.
Things to be learned there.

But it makes no sense
To live there.
It's but a dream.

A scattering of:
hurt
pain
joy
old friends
dear friends
enemies, or so we think,
and maybe they were.
really
enemies.

And they wounded us.
Maybe because we were stupid.
Maybe because they were mean.

Maybe we needed a good
pants-kicking.
Maybe they had an angry leg.

Whatever ...
Pays to remember
now and then.

But it pays to
keep the visit
short.

Goodbye.
God be with ya'.
Take care.

So long, it's been good to know ya'
Or maybe not.
Good riddance.

And off we go.
To the present.
To what's good and what ain't.

And even the future.
In bits and pieces.
A move here or there.

And time moves along.
And it's good thing
To tag along for the ride.